title: Effect of different doses of folic acid on serum homocysteine level in patients on hemodialysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hyperhomocysteinemia is common in patients with end-stage renal disease. It is one of the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. We evaluated the effect of different doses of folic acid on serum homocysteine level in patients on hemodialysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients on maintenance hemodialysis were randomized into 4 groups to receive oral folic acid at doses of 2, 5, 10, and 15 mg/d, each for a period of 4 weeks. Serum homocysteine level was measured in all of the patients before and at the end of each week of therapy. Folic acid supplementation was discontinued during a washout period of 1 week between each of the four phases of the trial.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one hemodialysis patients completed the four phases of treatment with each dose of folic acid (17 women and 14 men). The mean age of patients was 57.6 ± 14.6 years. Serum homocysteine level was reduced significantly compared to its basal level after treatment with folic acid at different doses (P < .001). Different doses of folic acid were not significantly different in lowering serum homocysteine levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study failed to show any difference between high-dose and low-dose folic acid therapy regarding their effect on serum homocysteine level. It seems folic acid, 2 mg/d, is an adequate dose, and there is no need to administer a higher dose of it.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohamad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Tamadon
authors.forename: Lotfali
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jamshidi
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soliemani
authors.forename: Raheb
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghorbani
authors.forename: Farhad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Malek
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malek
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000517:prevention & control; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D006435:Renal Dialysis
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid